Innovation and heritage meet sustainability at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024

Japan offers a fascinating blend of cutting-edge technology and traditional heritage. Apart from pushing the boundaries of innovation, the country also focuses on sustainability, constantly making efforts to reduce its ecological footprint. 

In a fusion of these core values, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) hosted the SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 Global Startup Programme, one of Asia’s largest global innovation conferences.  Around 40,000 visitors and 400 local and international exhibitors from 40 cities attended this two-day conference held on 15-16 May, 2024. 

SusHi Tech Tokyo—which stands for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo—showcases the city's position in the technology space worldwide. The event aims to solves the growing urban challenges faced not only by Japan but also by the rest of the world.

Aiming to create “sustainable new values,” the programme promoted the exchange of ideas and discussions on addressing common urban issues faced around the world.  These themes were majorly around demographic changes, aging infrastructure, environmental and energy concerns, and the preservation of traditional culture through technology and digital expertise.

Several global startups, investors, major corporations, delegates from various markets, and students participated in speaking sessions, pitch contests, and exhibitions to showcase their solutions.

"Sushi Tech Tokyo plays an important role in gathering different players in one location. And the  purpose of TiB (Tokyo Innovation Base) is to ensure that it makes an impact for more than two days, to meet new people, receive help from legal mentors, and ask questions on where one can access any help that they need for their startups,” says Suemura Tomoko, Deputy Director General for General Coordination, Office for Startup and Global Financial City Strategy, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

“TiB is all about bringing different players together. We set three 5-year goals in 2022 and we are well on our way to achieving them with one already exceeded last year “she added.

Impact on the Indian market

Speaking at the event, Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo highlighted the potential that lies in the collaboration between India and Japan, particularly Tokyo, to develop new technologies that will enhance people's lives.

“I had the opportunity to visit India to attend the U20. India is full of knowledge and experience in terms of artificial intelligence and digitalisation. So by fusing each other, India and Japan [Tokyo] will create new technology and to help people live better,” she said at a group media briefing. 

Over 400 companies (265 international and 164 domestic) exhibited during the event. 

“So typically with respect to the Japanese markets, I think there are two-three components to it. The first component is with respect to investors. Our initial set of angel investors were from Japan. They understood the market, they understood the gap, and they understood what is the technology-related incremental that they can add,” Arun Pandit, Co-founder, Hyphen SCStold YourStory. The Delhi-based warehouse and supply chain solutions provider was one of the exhibitors at the conference. 

Additionally, agtech firm PhyFarm, digital music ecosystem Choira and wellness and healthcare firm Orish J Bioworks, were among the companies representing India at the event.

“We make hardware and software for farming, by collecting data from farms and use those data points to automate the process of farming, as simple as giving water and fertilisers to complex robotics task flows. We collaborate with various government bodies such as JETRO and JICA in Japan," Naveen Singh, Co-founder, PhyFarm told YourStory.

Notably, the programme's Pitch Contest saw participation from around 507 companies across 43 countries and regions, competing for a prize of 10 million yen (around Rs 53 lakh).

“I think the very first thing is the barrier—it’s not about technology or great ideas–it’s about language. It’s the one thing that’s holding particularly the Japanese ecosystem from collaborating and working with the rest of the world. However, they have very sophisticated startups and a lot of government support. They are great champions at the local and national level,” Marc Ortmans, Co-founder and Chair, GEN UK (Global Entrepreneurship Network) said.   

Also Read

The bridge to success: JETRO paves the way for Japanese startups in India.

Towards sustainability 

Among the top themes in terms of sustainability was the reconstruction of energy production and consumption systems to achieve a decarbonised and recycling-oriented society.

During day zero of the press briefing, in a panel discussion between Soo Hyeon Park, Team Lead, eMotiv, Mandy Hon, CoFounder and CEO, ImpacFat, Jeong Yoon, CEO, Wright Brothers, and Rudy Rahrdjo, CEO, Knowledge Catalyst; discussed the increasing need of sustainable solutions in a modern world. 

 “To become a sustainable city, cities have to decrease their carbon. I run a bicycle company, and they are carbon-zero. If we use less gasoline cars and change it to electric cars, that’s carbon-zero. But the city has to make all the infrastructure, such as batteries. The fastest way to make urban carbon zero is to help people ride more bicycles,” said Jeong Yoon, CEO, Wright Brothers. 

Similarly, Singapore-based ImpacFat, which produces fish fat alternatives using cell cultivation, offers a sustainable option high in omega-3 fatty acids. 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s ‘Global Innovation with Startup’ initiative has been active since November 2022. The programme's strategy, known as the “10×10×10 Innovation Vision,” aims to increase the number of unicorns, startups, and public-private startups from Tokyo by tenfold over the next five years.

Aging infrastructure is a key concern in Japan. As per a report by Nikkei Asia, the number of abandoned homes in the country has increased by roughly 80% over the past 20 years. This surge is primarily due to population declines in rural areas.

Abandoned homes, also known as akiya, refers to the derelict residential properties located in rural regions. The term specifically excludes long-term vacant rentals, vacation homes, and other properties serving specific purposes. 

Also Read

World’s most expensive sushi, priced at Rs.2,01,332 served up at a Japanese restaurant.

To address this issue, Tokyo-based Microbase utilises AI to predict the occurrence of vacant houses and re-occupancies on a residential unit basis, using government data. Their goal is to facilitate the implementation of efficient measures against vacant houses and aging infrastructure.

“Sustaining cities is one keyword that we have. The distribution of the population in Japan is drastically changing now. If we go to the countryside, even with smaller people living in these areas, we need to update the roads and the water usages. Vacant houses are just the door, and we are trying to get inside the area of the real estate industry. Using that kind of data, we can predict when people will move into the house,” Hiroaki Sengoku, Geodata Scientist and Visiting Professor at Reitaku University and CEO of Microbase tells YourStory. 

Last February TMG held the “City-Tech.Tokyo” at the Tokyo International Forum which was Japan’s largest global startup event with 26,000 visitors in two days. 

The reporter attended the event at the invitation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.